Opodo travel news

There are now more wildflowers growing at Heathrow Airport, with the location trialing planting for these sorts of blooms in selected formal-landscaped areas.

The wildflower areas will be blooming between June and December and will change colour at different times of year, providing a more inexpensive form of natural display than conventional formal planting.

The areas involved in the trial are near Customs House, British Airways' Maintenance Base and Aviation House.

It marks the first instance in which action has occurred to bring in biodiversity in sections of formal landscaping at Heathrow.

Bird risk advisors gave their advice on the pilot, to make sure the planting helps bring down the chances of bird strike.

Heathrow also has 13 conservation sites spanning 170 hectares around its edge. These include creatures such as moths, spiders, grass snakes, bats and more. Many of the species living in the sites are endangered or protected.

The airport's conservation work has led to it getting the Biodiversity Benchmark award from the Wildlife Trusts for the past six years.

The news of the wildflower planting comes after The Queen opened Heathrow's Terminal 2: The Queen's Terminal last month.

The first Terminal 2 was opened by Her Majesty in 1955, and was the first passenger terminal at the airport.

The new version started welcoming passengers towards the beginning of June. The plan is that it will become home to a range of 26 airlines, and boast more than 330 daily flights heading to 54 destinations around the world.

“Heathrow is delighted to welcome Her Majesty to open her new airport terminal. Today is a celebration of the great work by many people and many organisations from across the country to create a new front door for the UK," commented Heathrow development director, John Holland-Kaye.